Carton forming machine



Filed Feb. 4, 1948 J: A. ZINN, JR, ET AL 2,480,177

CARTON FORMING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR5 Jalw CZ Z1 an J y/Zwfzael J 1%4190/2 Aug, 30, 1949. J. A. ZlNN, JR, ET AL 2,480,177

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1949. J. A. ZlNN, JR, ET AL I 2,480,177

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4. 1948 8 SheetsSheet 3 NVENTORS- Mme/Maj lyzl wz,

Aug. 30, 1949. J. A. ZINN, JR, ET AL 2,480,177

' CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb, 4, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 II M I Patented Aug. 30, 1949 CARTON FORMING MACHINE Julius A. Zinn, Jr., and Michael J. Wilson, Chicago, 111.; said Wilson assignor to said Zinn Application February 4, 1948, Serial No. 6,148

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved conveyor and feed mechanism and more particularly to such apparatus especially adapted to feed blanks to a continuously rotating machine for forming or otherwise operating upon said blanks.

The invention is shown and described as associated with the carton making machinery disclosed in the application of Julius A. Zinn, Jr, Serial No. 752,364, but it will be understood that it is capable of use in connection with other types of apparatus for operating upon or using the blanks fed to it.

Carton making machinery and the like have heretofore been generally constructed for stop and go rather than continuous operation. Such forms of apparatus are subject to a number of objections including relatively slow movement, the wear upon the machinery due to the sudden stops and starts and the noise incident to such operation. One factor which has required stop and go operation has been the difiiculty incident to suitable feed mechanism for use with continuously moving apparatus. Proper operation upon the blanks, such as forming them into cartons as is accomplished by the apparatus disclosed in the Zinn application above identified, requires extremely accurate alignment and registration of the blanks with the moving members of the blank forming machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved conveyor and feed mechanism.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of this character specially adapted for use with continuously movable means for operating upon the objects fed by the conveyor.

It is an additional object to provide apparatus adapted to feed carton blanks to a continuously rotating work table of a carton forming machine.

It is also an object to provide apparatus adapted for accurately synchronized delivery of blanks or other elements to a plurality of operating heads or assemblies carried by a rotating table.

It is another object to provide apparatus of this character which is efiicient in operation and adapted for commercial production. and use.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

We have shown certain preferred embodiments of our invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing one form of blank handling and conveying apparatus associated with apparatus for forming the blank into a carton;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the construction of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation on an enlarged scale of a blank transfer finger;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one section of the carton forming machine showing the blank aligning and registering elements;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the carton forming machine showing certain of the blank aligning elements;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of a modified form of transfer apparatus associated with the conveyor and carton forming machine;

Figure 8 is a plan View on an enlarged scale, partiall broken away, of the transfer conveyor section of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 9 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the conveyor of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a cross section of the conveyor of Figures 8 and 9.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, we have shown at 2| at the right of each figure a construction of carton forming machine such as disclosed in a co-pending application filed in the name of Julius A. Zinn, Jr., Serial No. 752,364. Associated with this carton forming machine is the necessary apparatus for feeding blanks to the machine as it continuously rotates. The apparatus shown also applies the necessary adhesives to the blank prior to feeding it to the machine.

The blanks may be formed from any suitable material as, for example, cardboard which may be waxed or treated with plastics or other waterproof material. The blanks may be formed of other materials such as sheet plastics or metal foil.

The blanks to be operated upon by the specific conveyor shown are pre-cut as individual blanks, these blanks 23 being stacked in the vertical frame 24 which is supported at the left end of the conveyor assembly, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Below the stack of blanks is located a conveyor, generally indicated at 25, which moves the blanks laterally onto the conveyor 21 which serves to receive the blanks and move them at right angles to their original line of movement and to the right, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, onto the conveyor 29.

The upper pass of this conveyor 25 carries the blanks between the rollers 3! and 32 which coact to apply a hot melt glue or thermo-plastic adhesive to selected portions of the blank. It will be understood that the adhesive is heated in the tank 33, the particular construction of the tank and of the rolls for applying the adhesive being no part of the present invention.

The blanks next pass between rollers 34 and 36 which apply water soluble adhesive to selected portions of the blank. This adhesive is supplied to roller 34 by means of roller 3'! from tank 38. Again, the particular detailed construction of this mechanism for applying the adhesive forms no part of the present invention.

It is to be noted that up to this point the blanks have been carried resting upon theupper' flights of the conveyors. From the right end of the conveyor 29 the blanks, now properl supplied with adhesives on the desired portions thereof, are directed onto the lower guides 4| and-- 42 oi. the transfer conveyor 44 by means of the fixed director fingers 39. Thi transfer conveyor 44: is shown in detail in Figures 8 to 10, inclusive. While the blanks are carried on the upper run of conveyor 29, the are deposited on fixed guides 4| and 42 which extend longitudinally below the transfer conveyor 44. They are moved along these guides 4| and 42 by the blank transport members 46 which are carried by the conveyor chains 41 and 48. These transport members 46 are provided with notches 49 which provide'clearance for the fixed guides 4i and 42, as best shown in Figure 10. The chains 4'! and 48v are driven'by sprockets 52 and 53 on shaft 54 whichcarries the drive sprocket 56. Here, contrary to the previous conveyors of the series, the blanks are moved below the moving conveyor elements bythe lower run of the conveyor.

As best shown in Figure l, the sprocket- G is preferably driven by chain 51 from the end sprocket 59 of conveyor 29. Thus, the movement of the two conveyors is synchronized. It will be understood, also, that it isv essential to synchronize the movements: of the conveyors and, consequently, the feed of blanks with the movement of the rotary table 6| of the carton machine 2!. The chains 41 and 48 pass on over idler pulleys 65 and 6.6, as best shown in Figure 8, which are adjusted by means of screws 61 and. $8 so asto give the proper tension to the conveyor chains and assure uniform smoothmovement of the transport members 46 in moving the blanks along the guides 4| and 42. The chains also pass over driven pulleys 69 mounted on shaft H1 at the right end of Figures 8 and 9, as also shown in Figure 10.

A guide member R03 is provided at the right side of the conveyor 44, as best shown in Figure 10. This member I03 has a flange I04 which is of the same height as the rails 4i and 42. The shoulder I05 serves to guide the lateral edge of the carton blank which rests on the flange M34 as the blank is moved along rails 4| and 42 by the conveyor. The opposite edge of the blank is guided by the face of the channel frame member I06. The member 103 is adjusted laterally by the screws I01 for blanks of different transverse dimensions. It will be understood that the conveyor and the machine with which it may be: used are both capable of handling blanks varying in both size and shape.

It will be apparent, from consideration of Figures 1 and 9, that the transfer conveyor assembly is supported independently from the rotating head 6| of the carton machine 2| extending out from the conveyor supporting base 12. It is supported from the conveyor assembly by means of the brackets 13 shown in Figure 9. The bolts connecting these brackets to the support pass through slotted openings in the brackets so that the location of the conveyor may be adjusted both verticall and horizontally.

The fingers for transferring the blanks delivered by the conveyor 44 properly to' the rotating table are included in plan view in Figure 4 and shown on a larger scale in elevation in Figure 3. They include the finger l4 pivoted in the base on the pivot pin 16, the fingers being normally Lin held vertical by the tension spring 11. The base 15 is carried on the rotating table SI. The top of finger 14 carries the roller I08 and the front of the finger has the cushion I309" fitted therein. The rotating table top H rotates in the counterclockwise direction and, as shown in Figure 2, the adjacent side of conveyor 44 i provided with the guide bumper H6 faced with a contact member II! of rubber or other suitable material. This is engaged by the cushion i 09 on finger I4 as that finger rotates with the table. These two members cushion and quiet the impact and the finger is swung upon its pivot 16 in the counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 3. The roller E08 then engages the bottom plate N9 of the conveyor 44. This plate I I9 is, notched at I20 so thatthe finger l4 rises before it passes from under the con veyor 44. The finger 14 passes between the. adj-a cent ends of the aligned transport members. 45: to engage the blank as the members 46 rise-at-the forward end of their run and the finger 14 completes the synchronized transfer of the blankto. the rotating table BI and against. the guide- 8Lv Certain coacting. parts ofv the carton making machine are shown in Figures 4, 5 and.6. These comprise the loader 78, which is reciprocated by means of arms 19 and 80, and the rightguide 84 and left. guide 82, all these element being carried by table 6|. The left guid 82 has an outwardly flared and inwardl curved. portion 84 at its outer end, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Adjustable stops 86 and 8'! are provided to limitthe inward movement of the blank 23, these stops being aligned with the stop 88 carried by the mandrel 89, as shown in Figure 6.

The well 91, into which the mandrel moves, is partially covered by plate 93 which has lateral downwardly curved portions 94 and 95 on opposite sides of the mandrel and has a downwardly extending flange. 9-1 aligned with the face 98 of the bottom pressure member 99 of. the carton. forming machine, as shown inFigure 6. The bottom pressure plate 99 is operated by means of a piston in cylinder NH, and the mandrel B9- is reciprocated by means of a piston rod Hi2 operated in a cylinder not shown, but whichis shown and described in the co-pending application of Julius A. Zinn, Jr., above mentioned.

The form of construction shown in Figure 7 differs from the constructions previously described in the design and operation of the transfer conveyor means. That conveyor in this construction comprises a rotary head H0 having arms ill each provided with suction heads I I2. The conveyor H3 which moves the blanks 2! to the left, as shown in Figure 7, has its discharge end' raised so that the blanks substantially meet. the under face of the suction heads as they reach the end of the conveyor. At this point the suction heads grip the blanks by means of air suction and swing them around as the head rotates to deposit them on the rotating table 6| of the carton forming machine 2| in the same position as they are deposited by the other form of conveyor shown in the figures previously described.

It will be understood that the speed of rotation of the head I II] will be such as to give the blanks carried thereby a linear speed equal to the effective linear speed of that portion of the rotating table 61 upon which they are deposited. The rotating table BI is provided with the loading and aligning mechanism which has been previously described, and when the blanks are properly dropped by release of the suction, these mechanisms take care of moving the blanks under the mandrel and exactly locating them before the mandrel descends. It will be understood that the feed mechanism is accurately synchronized with the speed of rotation of the carton machine so that the blanks are properly located when released.

In the operation of the several forms of apparatus described and shown, the blanks are first placed in the stack frame 24 with their proper side facing toward the conveyor 21. That is, the side of the blank 23 which is to be located radially inward on the carton forming machine faces the conveyor 21. The conveyor 25 moves one blank at a time out to the conveyor 21 which changes the movement of the blank at right angles and moves it on the conveyor 29. It will be understood that with some types of blanks the original conveyor may be in alignment with conveyor 2'! or conveyor 21 may directly remove the blanks from the stack. With the particular form of blank which has been shown, and which was disclosed in the prior patent to Julius A. Zinn, Jr., No. 2,412,666, of December 17, 1946, the blank is so formed that there is a possibility of blanks interlocking if they are moved laterally one from the other or to the right and left one from the other, as seen in Figure 2. For that reason, with these particular blanks it is desirable to have the change of direction afforded by conveyors 25 and 21. Conveyor 29 passes the blanks through the apparatus for applying the hot adhesive and also the water soluble adhesive, as shown in Figure 1. In certain forms of cartons, for example, an adhesive which is of the hot type may be applied to the portions of the blank which are ultimately folded to close the carton after it is filled. The water soluble adhesive may be applied to the portions of the blank which are secured together on the carton forming machine in the formation of the carton. This water soluble adhesive then will be in proper condition for operation on the machine as the blanks pass directly from the apparatus for applying the adhesive to the forming machine.

It will be understood that in order to properly a form the cartons, it is essential that the blanks be very accurately located relative to the mandrel 89. This is accomplished by the feed conveyors and alignment elements which have been described. Because of the rotating head 6| and the necessary clearance for parts thereon, it is necessary to support the transfer conveyor 44 of the figures other than Figure '7 independently of the rotating head and have it extend over that head in exactly the proper position and alignment. The blanks slide along the guide rails 41 and 42 which are located closely above the rotating table 6|, being moved along these rails by the cross transport members 45. As they reach the free ends of the rails 4| and 42, the blanks drop to the rotating table, being carried to the end of the rails by the members 46.

Also, just, before a blank leaves the rails, its rear edge is engaged by the finger 14 shown in Figure 4. The location of the end of the conveyor 44 and the relative movement of the transport members 38 are coordinated with the rotary movement of the table 6| so that the finger 14 engages the blanks just as they are about to fall from the end of the conveyor. The speed of movement of the blank on the conveyor is substantially the linear speed of the rotary movement of the adjacent portion of the table 6| so that the blank is moved at substantially the same speed as the surfaces upon which it drops. The

feed end of the blank engages the guide 8|, shown in Figure 4, being held against it by the finger 14. It will be understood that the finger 14 has been swung backwardly or to the left, as seen in Figure 4, in order to pass under the conveyor 44 and swings upwardly as it clears the side portion of the bottom plate H9 and reaches the notch I20 to engage the rear of the blank as it leaves the conveyor.

As the blank is properly held on table Bl between guide BI and finger 14, the loader 18 moves inwardly towards the center of the machine or upwardly, as seen in Figure 4, to bring the blank against the adjustable guides 86 and 81 and also against the stop 88 carried by the mandrel. The curved guide end 34 of the left end guide 82 insures that the left end of the blank is properly guided and forced downwardly as it is moved inwardly against these stops. As the mandrel 89 descends upon the blank, it forces the central portion of the blank downwardly, the sides being guided upwardly around the lower edges of the mandrel by means of the arcuate guide portions 94 and 95, as shown in Figure 5. The radially outer edge of the blank is held against outward movement as it passes downwardly from contact with the loader '58 by means of the guide flange 91, as shown in Figure 6.

The further operations on the blank are fully disclosed in the co-pending application of Julius A. Zinn, Jr., Serial No. 752,364, which has been heretofore mentioned. The completed cartons are blown radially from the mandrels at a point closely adjacent the loading point for new blanks. They may be blown into a chute I25 indicated on Figure 2 from which they may be removed and nested and packaged for shipment or carried to other apparatus to be treated with paraffin or filled with their intended contents. The present invention relates to the apparatus for feeding the blank to the carton forming machine, and details of subsequent operations of the machine form no part of the present invention.

While we have shown certain preferred embodiments of our invention, these are to be understood to be illustrative only as the construction is capable of modification to meet differing requirements and conditions, and we contemplate such variations as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a conveyor and a moving element receiving surface, the conveyor including element supporting rails extending adjacent and above the surface, means for moving elements along the rails and delivering them to the moving surface, and upwardly extending means carried by and moving with the surface between the rails for engaging the elements as they leave the rails.

2. In combination, a conveyor and a moving element receiving surface, the conveyor including element supporting rails extending adjacent and above the surface, means for moving elements along the rails and delivering them to the moving surface, and pivoted transfer fingers carried by and moving with the surface for engaging the elements as they leave the rails, said fingers having resilient means for normally holding them upward and beingswung downwardly by contact means to clear the rails and rising and extending above the rails in transfer position.

3. In combination, a conveyor and a continuously rotating fiat element receiving surface, said surface rotating about a vertical axis spaced lat- 7 erally of the conveyor, the conveyor extending above-the surface, and moving elements carried thereby tangentially of the circular path of an intermediate portion of said rotating surface and being synchronized in speed with the linear speed of said intermediate portion.

4-. In. combination, a conveyor and a continuously rotating flat element receiving surface, said surface rotating about a vertical axis spaced laterally of the conveyor, the conveyor extending above the surface, and moving elements carried thereby tangentially of the circular path of an intermediate portion of said rotatin surface and being synchronized inspeed with the linear speed of said intermediate portion, the conveyor comprising rails for carrying elements to be conveyed, and means movable above the rails for moving elements along the rails.

5. In combination, a conveyor and a continuously rotating flat element receiving surface, said surface rotating about a vertical axis spaced laterally of the conveyor, the conveyor extending above the surface, and moving elements carried thereby tangentially of the circular path of an intermediate portion of said rotating surface and being, synchronized in speed with the linear speed of said intermediate portion, the conveyor comprising rails for carrying elements to be conveyed, and means movable above the rails for moving elements along the rails, the conveyor being supported independently of the rotating surface.

6. In combination, a conveyor and a continu ously rotating element receiving surface, the conveyor extending above the surface, and moving elements carried thereby tangentially of the circular path of an intermediate portion of said rotating surface and being synchronized in speed with the linear speed of said intermediate portion, the conveyor comprising rails for carrying elements to be conveyed, and means movable above the rails for moving elements along the rails, and transfer means carried by the rotating surface for engaging elements carried by the rails and transferring them to predetermined positions on the rotating surface.

7.. In combination, a conveyor and a continuously rotatin element receiving surface, the conveyor extending above the surface, and movin elements carried thereby tangentially of the circular path of an intermediate portion of said rotating surface and being synchronized in speed with the linear speed of said intermediate portion, the conveyor comprising rails for carrying, elements to be conveyed, and means movable above the rails for moving elements along the rails, and transfer means carried by the rotating surface for engaging elements carried by the rails and transferring them to predetermined positions on the rotating surface, said transfer means comprising fingers held erect by spring means and adapted to be depressed when passin below a conveyor rail.

8. In combination, a conveyor and a continuously rotating element receiving surface, the conveyor extending above the surface, and moving elements carried thereby tangentially of the circular path of an intermediate portion of said rotating surface and being synchronized in speed with the linear speed of said intermediate portion, and means carried by the rotating surface adapted to engage elements moved by the conveyor to transfer them to predetermined positions on the rotating surface.

9. Carton forming machinery comprising a continuously rotating table Car ying a plurality of carton forming mechanisms, a conveyor 113W", ing portions extending above said table, means for moving carton blanks by the conveyor in synchronism with therotation of the table, and means for transferring blanks from the conveyor to predetermined positions on the table.

10. Carton forming, machinery comprising a continuously rotating table carrying a plurality of carton. forming mechanisms, a conveyor having portions, extending above said table, means for moving carton blanks by the conveyor in synchronism with the rotation of the table, and means for transferring blanks from the conveyor to predetermined positions on the table, said means comprising transfer fingers carried by the rotating table adjacent each carton forming mechanism.

11. Carton. forming machinery comprising a continuously rotating table carrying a plurality of carton formin mechanisms, a conveyor having portions extending above said table, means for moving carton blanks. by the conveyor in synchronism with the rotation of the table, means for transferring blanks from the conveyor to predetermined positions on the table, and means carried by the table for aligning transferred blanks with the carton forming mechanisms.

12. Carton forming machinery comprising a. continuously rotating table carrying a plurality of carton forming mechanisms, a conveyor having portions extending above said table, means for moving carton blanks by the conveyor in synchronism with. the rotation of the table, means 1 for transferring blanks from the conveyor to predetermined positions on the table, and means carried by the table for aligning transferred blanks with the carton forming mechanisms, said means comprisin aligning guides, adjustable stops, and movable loading means. for moving blanks along said guides and against. said stops.

13. Carton forming machinery comprising a, holder for carton blanks, means for moving blanks from the holder, a conveyor for moving said blanks, means for placing adhesive upon the blanks as they move along the. conveyor, a transfer conveyor receiving blanks from the first mentioned conveyor, and a carton forming machine having a continuously rotating table receiving blanks from the transfer conveyor, carton formin mechanisms carried with the table, the movement of the transfer conveyor being synchronized with the rotation of the table, and means for transferrin blanks from the transfer conveyor and movable registering means and stops for aligning them with the carton forming mechanisms.

JULIUS. A. ZINN, JR. MICHAEL J. WILSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATESv PATENTS Number Name Date 396,594 Pellatt Jan. 22, 1889 1,536,331 Conant May 5, 1925 1,622,836 Madsen Mar. 29, 1927 2,440,749 Klock May 4, 1948 2,451,648 Anderson Oct. 19, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 324,596 Great Britain Jan. 30, 1930 

